Vietnamese Chicken Meatballs are an epic addition to a party, but can easily be made when you want a healthy but exciting snack or dinner. Flavourful chicken meatballs with crunchy, fresh vegetables and herbs, packaged up in a crispy lettuce wrap. The meatballs can be rolled in small amount of sugar before baking and they develop a sticky coating which balances beautifully with the spicy meatball seasonings. But, if you want to lose the calories they still taste awesome without it. These would be a great healthy option for guests, low in fat and calories, gluten free, and low in carbs!
Vietnamese Chicken Meatballs in Lettuce Wraps
Author: Melinda
Recipe type: Appetizer, lunch, snacks
Cuisine: Vietnamese, healthy appetizer
Prep time:
Cook time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Tasty for dinner, or healthy appetizer. If you have a taste for spicy foods, try adding more garlic and/or some fresh chili peppers to the mix. You can substitute cornstarch for flour if there's none available. Covering the meatballs with sugar adds a glaze, and smooths out the spicy flavor, but is optional to lower the calories.
Ingredients
- 1 pound skinless, boneless chicken thighs, trimmed of visible fat and cut into 1½-inch pieces
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 small shallots, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 stalk of fresh lemongrass, minced
- ½ cup chopped cilantro (save half for topping when served)
- 4 tablespoons finely chopped mint, (save half for serving)
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- dash of kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground pepper
- 1 head Boston or red leaf lettuce, leaves separated
- 1 small seedless cucumber—peeled, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced crosswise
- 1 small red onion, sliced thin
- Asian chili sauce, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°. Chop chicken until coarsely ground, using a cleaver or food processor to make it easier. Transfer to a bowl. Add the fish sauce, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, chopped cilantro and mint, cornstarch, salt and pepper and mix with your hands.
- Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- If adding sugar - spread the sugar on a plate. Roll the chicken mixture into 1 or 2-inch balls. Roll the meatballs in the sugar until they are evenly coated. Transfer the meatballs to the baking sheet and bake them for 15 minutes, until they are lightly browned.
- While baking, arrange the lettuce, cilantro and mint leaves, cucumber and onion on a platter. Transfer the meatballs to the platter and serve with chili sauce.
Originated from a cookbook called Small Bites, a book devoted to appetizers and small plates for parties. We included substitutions after trying ourselves. Click Here to read more about this awesome cookbook.
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.